Military officials appear in evangelical promo video — in uniform

WTF is going on here? This is clearly improper. Fundies were pressuring Air Force Academy cadets to participate in promotional videos for The Christian Embassy, an “outreach” evangelical organization. Eventually they managed to get seven Army and Air Force officers to appear in it — in uniform. This is out of control. (WaPo):

In the video, much of which was filmed inside the Pentagon, four generals and three colonels praise the Christian Embassy, a group that evangelizes among military leaders, politicians and diplomats in Washington. Some of the officers describe their efforts to spread their faith within the military.

“I found a wonderful opportunity as a director on the joint staff, as I meet the people that come into my directorate,” Air Force Maj. Gen. Jack J. Catton Jr. says in the video. “And I tell them right up front who Jack Catton is, and I start with the fact that I’m an old-fashioned American, and my first priority is my faith in God, then my family and then country. I share my faith because it describes who I am.”

…Army Brig. Gen. Bob Casen refers in the video to the Christian Embassy’s special efforts to reach admirals and generals through Flag Fellowship groups. Whenever he sees another fellowship member, he says, “I immediately feel like I am being held accountable, because we are the aroma of Jesus Christ.”

The Military Religious Freedom Foundation, a watchdog group led by retired Air Force lawyer Michael L. “Mikey” Weinstein, is requesting an investigation in a letter to the Defense Department’s inspector general.

In the letter it requests information on whether permission was received to film at the Pentagon — and whether any other religious or secular organizations been able to use the same facilities and uniformed military personnel for promotional purposes.

The Christian Embassy officials didn’t return any calls or messages for comment.